As an Event Coordinator, I specialize in all things birthday party, retirement party, corporate functions, expo's, but most of all, weddings. Every weekend we decorate the halls with beautiful linens and decor, calm the brides who are anxious, and prepare for two families to come together on one special day. The kick? Most wedding traditions and romance have disappeared.

I am big on tradition, especially when the heart of the wedding is based on tradition. Now I know that we live in modern times, but weddings are centered around the reception in this day in age. I still remember when my parents got married - I was six years old, and of course, the flower girl. My parents had a beautiful ceremony held in a church (I do remember it taking FOREVER) then we took a bunch of photos and went to a reception hall afterwards. I specifically remember looking at the beautiful cakes and listening to my Aunt deliver the Maid of Honor speech. At some point I was swept away by the sitter and taken upstairs to watch movies with the other kids.

What I remember is the tradition, the love, and how pretty I thought my mom was in her dress. Now that I am helping to plan weddings, my view is much more skewed. Groomsmen are almost passed out before the ceremony, the cakes are shoved off to the side, and the venues crave more flowers and decor. I have put together a list of commonalities that I have seen...have you been to any weddings lately and noticed the same thing?

Wedding ceremonies used to last longer than 10-15 minutes. That is now the average length of ceremony we see.

First looks have become the norm. The mystery, surprise, and romance has been lost and the guests are left watching a bride walk down the aisle to a man she already saw one hour earlier!

Cake cutting was part of the tradition - now it has become something people want to get over with right away that takes a total of five minutes.

Nowadays, families are spending more on alcohol than decor, flowers, and photography. It has become imperative to have an open bar with only the best liquor available.

The "grand exit" is lost. After the night ends, the bride and groom get all of their things together, and walk to their car and either head home or to a hotel. Limos and old fashioned cars with cans in the back are a thing of the past.

Most people think they are 100% organized and prepared but in reality they are missing a lot of details. Who will take care of the centerpieces at the end of the evening? Does your caterer bring cake cutting tools or are you? Once your cake is delivered, who is setting up the cake table? I will do a later post about things not to forget on your big day!

It is rare that we see string quartets, pianists, a harp, or any other live music played for the ceremony. A playlist on an iPhone is the commonality.

I have yet to hear the traditional wedding song played when the bride walks dow the aisle!

Don't expect wedding favors.

Rice, confetti, rose petals - I loved throwing that at the end of the ceremony - I have yet to see that this season too.

This post may sound cynical but I think I am just more saddened. I have seen my fair share of divorce so in my opinion, a wedding is a very sacred ceremony that should be cherished. I definitely think it should be a celebration - just not completely lost with no tradition. The funny thing is, just about everything listed above is free. Tradition doesn't cost anything!

If you have any other wedding traditions or reasons why you decided to forego something listed above, please share! I would love to hear your thoughts!

I'm a sucker when it comes to trying new products. I've posted before about products I'm currently loving and since I added a few more I figured it was time to share again. All of these products can be found at Target or Ulta and are very budget friendly. I have been on the hunt lately for the best body wash and moisturizer - my skin has been incredibly dry and these are the only products that have helped!

I first tried these when I went to Cinncinati a month or two ago and I instantly knew I would love them! First, it's a very simple process - you get the cloth wet and lather between your hands then proceed to wash your face. It removes all makeup and dirt and is very gentle on skin. Not only that, it exfoliates your skin because of the texture of the cloth. I love using these when I'm not in the mood for my complete bedtime routine - this helps cuts the time I spend getting ready, in half!

I have tried upwards of 50 different body washes throughout my life...and nothing has stuck. Either the body wash dries out my skin or I don't see any improvement. Olay's body wash is another story - the first time I used it in the shower I visibly noticed my skin had so much more moisture. I switch between different scents and then the exfoliating version too. Oh, and they have the yummiest scents!

Like I mentioned before, my skin has been very dry. My face tends to be very oily so I try to stay away from heavy moisturizers, however, this is great to use in the evening. I only a small amount and I work into my face. I wake up the next morning with fresh, dewey skin! If you have oily skin, use in small amounts of moderation!

With summer nearing in Iowa, the humidity is going to significantly rise and that means hair problems. I'm combating any hair issues early with the John Frieda Touch-Up Creme. You only need to use a small amount and gently work it in your hair where you have issues with fly-aways and frizz. Note: Men can also use this!

Hands down one of the best moisturizers! It keeps my skin soft and adds extra moisture all day long. I highly recommend if you have dry skin! My hands have developed (what almost looks like eczema) extremely dry patches and so I have been applying lotion consistently throughout the day.

I finally got my computer back! You never realize just how dependent you are on something until you no longer have it...word of the wise, always back up your computer! Thankfully, a couple of days before mine crashed I backed everything up!
Anyways, over the weekend Des Moines blossomed. This is definitely my favorite time of year in this city. There are cherry blossom trees on every block - the grass is ripe green - and tulips are blooming everywhere. One of my favorite parks (only in the springtime) is all cherry blossom trees and oh how beautiful it is! I'm definitely the type of gal who loves being surrounded by beautiful things in nature. I love landscapes, gardens, and flowers - so you can imagine my excitement when these trees went into full bloom!

Donning all white can be challenging in some retrospect. If you try and match the various shades of whites, you'll most likely fail! Instead of matching, I stick to piecing together monochromatic looks. Ivory, cream, white, nude - all of these look great together - add a pop of color (or keep it completely monochromatic) and you're good to go. Note, these high-waisted skinnies are by far my favorite; they are thick enough so you don't see through them and they have great stretch to them.

You can shop the look below, I have added a few other white pieces that I have my eye on!

I tell you what, the last week has been one of the most hectic weeks ever. Working over 60 hours and being sick has really put a damper on my normal routine. I still managed, however, to stop by Target and take peek at the new Victoria Beckham x Target collection. #targetdoesitagain With Easter only a few days away I figured a new dress was a must, thus I came across this mint lace shift dress. It's rare that I find a dress that I love so much but for some reason I haven't wanted to take this one off! Not only is it chic (Victoria Beckham approved) but super comfortable.

This will be a short and sweet post today, I am working a lot of overtime this week at work (more on that later). Anyways, I love these cargo pants from J.Crew - they are a great alternative to jeans and they are so unbelievably comfortable! I am always running errands or with the dogs so these make it very easy to get tasks done while on-the-go! I have linked all the outfit details below.

Wedding season is picking up speed, by May and June I'm sure most of you will know at least one couple that is tying the knot. In my new role as an event coordinator, we are booked with weddings every Saturday until November! Thus, I thought it was only fitting to share some looks that are appropriate to wear to a wedding.

In my opinion, one should be over-dressed rather than underdressed. Unless stated by the bride, or on the invitation, you should not wear jeans! I see this too often and it makes me cringe. If the bridal party is dressed up - I think it's just as appropriate for everyone to be as well!

Whether the wedding is casual or dressy/black tie - I broke it up into two categories so you could see different options!

I have seen some super cute looks this season - most of them fairly casual. A common theme is a simple shift dress or skater dress with heels or wedges. One of my favorites a guest wore was this lace dress in a lavender color - so pretty! She paired it with a suede jacket and wedges to make the dress more casual.

Another thought about this wedding season, especially if you have multiple weddings, is to re-wear 1-2 dresses. I always wear the same dress a few times; simply swap out accessories and shoes and you're good to go.

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